Things Won, Things Lost
by Transformer-Slash
Summary: Win or Lose, Megatron would always have Starscream. SPOILERS, Spark-bonding, Revenge of the Fallen.


"This is english" _"This is Cybertronian" 'this is flash-back talk'_

Important Story Info; This story is set immidietly after Starscream and Megatron retreat in Revenge of the Fallen. So, yeah, movie spoilers. It also makes reference to events in the comics "Reign of Starscream" and "Alliance" It's just a small part, so you should be fine. This story is rated M for spark-bonding. I don't even own a matching pair of socks, how could I possibly own the transformers? Big props to Hasbro.

Now for my two cents that you don't have to read unless you care; This fic will probably be obsolete by the time the next comic/movie comes out, but who cares. I decided to take a new approach at how I portray Starscream, because he is actually really loyal and compitent in '07 movie/comic-verse. In his bio it says that while he doesn't always agree with Megatron, he is loyal. He also spits on treachery as an unspeakable act, worhty of death. (Wtf? Is this really Starscream?) I also noticed that whole stroking under Starscream's chin move Megatron pulled. Only half the people I've talked to noticed. Pay closer attention dammit, it totaly cannonized this pairing in the movie. Go Bay! (even thought he's still a douche)

I am editing all of my stories. ALL OF THEM I SAY! My beloved is an extremely talented editor and a transfan every bit as avid as I am. She has taken the time to edit all of my published fics and so I am taking the time to fix them online. Please enjoy the improved grammar, but bear in mind that the actual story content hasn't improved at all.

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Megatron finally transformed back into robot-mode as he entered the relative safety of the Mars base. He was damaged, no sense in denying it. His outward appearance was in shambles, but his insides weren't too badly off. He could recover, thanks to Starscream. The jet landed behind him, almost too lightly. He was afraid of what Megatron might do. He had taken Starscream's suggestion for retreat, but how long before just that would lead him to be blamed for the entire defeat?

"Starscream." Megatron addressed the cowering jet who had hung back in the shadows. "Are you hurt?" The question was toneless.

"No, my lord, I was hardly damaged," Starscream reported. He had played it safe in the battle, doing nothing that would lead him to be seriously harmed. This was part his old survival mechanism, but also partially due to a suspicion he had that they would fail. Fail they had, but Starscream felt a small victory in just being alive. "You are in need of repair."

"It can wait." Megatron's voice was hollow and flat. In a single day he had lost his mentor, his battle, and his cause. What was left? To travel to his dead home world? To take energy from another star? But before any of that could happen, the most important thing was to regroup. He had to call all the Decepticons who had survived.

"Megatron, lord, master, I beg you to let me repair you." Starscream knew groveling would work to his advantage. If Megatron did not rest and recharge, then removing him from the battle had been pointless.

"I will not rest until I know who lived, Starscream. Who of our forces survived? Not all are as cowardly as you." Megatron snapped. His claw-like fingers ran over controls. He had to contact Soundwave.

"Yes, I know." Starscream ignored the insult. It wasn't important. He had lost Megatron twice already, and the Decepticons had lost their way. He would not allow that to happen again. Even if Starscream rarely agreed with him, Megatron was important to the Decepticon cause. More important than the Fallen. The Fallen may have been Megatron's leader, but Megatron was _their _leader_, _and that was all the remaining troops would care about. It was Starscream's duty to the cause to care for him.

"Soundwave, come in." Megatron was leaking badly from his face, but his words were still clear.

"Soundwave reporting." The computer screen lit up with symbols as the message code unraveled.

"Soundwave, contact all survivors and tell me their names," Megatron commanded. There was a long, painful pause.

"Survivors: unclear." Soundwave transmitted finally. "Autobots signal jammers: operating at full force. It may be a solar cycle before contact is possible." Megatron slammed his hands down on the console, swearing foully in Cybertronian.

"Megatron…" Starscream approached slowly, extending his hand until it rested on Megatron's shoulder. He was relieved when it was not instantly crammed down his own throat. "_Some have lived, my lord, I know it."_ Starscream spoke soothingly in their native tongue. He had been using the crude language of the humans for longer than he cared, but this was not the time for that vulgar tongue. This required depth and tact, things his native language conveyed much better.

_"I am tired, Starscream."_ Megatron's voice was a harsh, static filled whisper.

_"I know. You need repair, you need rest."_ Starscream shifted more armor to the front of his body with a slow scraping sound, just in case Megatron struck him. _"Permit me to help you, please."_

_ "What good will it do?"_ Megatron hissed. _"The Fallen is dead. What will become of the Decepticons?"_

_ "Those that have lived will gather, and they will fight, my lord."_ Starscream spoke confidently, _"The Fallen was your master, not theirs. You are who they fear and love."_ In the Cybertronian language there were many words that would translate to the single human word of 'love'. The one Starscream used was love for a parent or leader.

_"You know this?" _Megatron asked.

_ "Yes. I have seen it. You are the only one who can make them loyal." _Starscream remembered how quickly his fellow Decepticons had turned on him.

The words of Dreadwing echoed in his audio receptors, '_I merely did what you never had the courage to do to Megatron.' _Dreadwing had not had "courage" enough to betray Megatron, either. No one had. For Starscream it was not cowardice that kept him loyal.

_"Starscream," _Megatron turned around. Starscream did not flinch. He trusted that Megatron would not hit him now. _"You may repair me if you wish."_

_ "Thank you," _Starscream said simply. Megatron sat down heavily in the throne of the Fallen. The machinery that had tended his master lay dormant and cold. Starscream found what supplies they had on base, occasionally tearing pieces off the dead protoforms. He was not a medic, but he had developed some experience with first-aid over countless stellar cycles of battle. He cradled Megatron's damaged face in his hand as he carefully replaced part of his jaw. The metal was compliant, and formed the necessary shapes before hardening into the armor it was meant to be. This was a unique and helpful trait of protoform metal.

"_You are more skilled at repair than I knew," _Megatron said. Starscream had finished with his face and moved onto working on other damaged parts of his body.

_ "Thank you." _Starscream responded absently, engrossed in his work. It was strange, being with Megatron like this. Not fighting each other, not fighting the Autobots, not fighting for survival, not fighting at all. Starscream remembered that they had been bonded long ago, but the bond had seemed weakened by stellar cycles apart. When he had met Megatron again on Earth he had felt a swell of joy in his spark, swiftly crushed by the obsession in Megatron's optics. All that mattered to him was the cube, and Starscream was a fancy long forgotten. Yet here he was, so close he could almost feel the energy from his bond-mate's spark.

_"Starscream," _Megatron placed a hand on the back of Starscream's helm. _"When did you get these scars?"_

_ "A while ago. When you slept at the bottom of the ocean." _Starscream tried to ignore the hand that was gently tracing his self-made scars. _"I adorned myself in honor of our ancestors. It was… a sign of mourning."_

_ "Mourning for what?" _Megatron asked.

_"For many things," _Starscream said vaguely. It was for many reasons that he had scarred himself. The betrayal of Megatron, his death, the betrayal of his own people, and the loss of faith it had caused were all factors.

_"I love you." _Megatron did not use the platonic word for love. Here he was, broken and utterly defeated, but Starscream had stayed with him. He, too, could feel the pull of his mate's spark. It had been stellar cycles since they had renewed their bond.

_"I-" _Starscream's vocal processor glitched. He had thought Megatron's feelings for him had faded in the obsession for power. Starscream rested his helm on Megatron's chest. He had been nestled between Megatron's legs, doing repairs. Now he was there for the feeling of closeness. He pulled much of his armor in so that he fit better in Megatron's arms. _"I thought you no longer cared for me."_

_ "You are a fool." _Megatron's comment lost all of its bite in the implication. Megatron pulled Starscream close. Starscream could almost hear the low throb of Megatron's spark in his chest.

_"I love you, and I love you." _Starscream used both meanings. He loved Megatron as his leader, and he loved him as his eternal partner. Starscream felt Megatron pull him up to rest in his lap, and bring their faces close as their chests touched. Now there were no words. Neither the human nor the Cybertronian language could begin to describe the depth of the connection that was about to be made. Starscream shivered as Megatron slowly ran a hand over his wings. It traced the outline of the scars left there. They were deep.

As if a trigger had been pressed all the armor components on Starscream's chest parted revealing his quickly pulsing spark. Megatron opened his armor too, and their chests connected, creating a seal around both sparks. Their sparks connected and merged, and for a moment it was impossible for them to tell where one began and the other ended. Words were useless. What passed between them was not thought, but raw emotion. This was the most sacred show of devotion known to Cybertronians. For long moments the air crackled around them as energy was drawn from everywhere, and cycled between the two.

In the endless heat and light the thin atmosphere seemed to shred under pressure. The final boom of energy sent a shockwave through the room, and for a moment the protoforms flickered to life, only to cease and become dormant again. For a second their sparks were completely one, and the next they were two once more. The fragile lights of their sparks separated and returned to their chests and protective metal of their outer armor slid fluidly into place.

_"We should rest,"_ Starscream said after a long while. His helm was resting on Megatron's shoulder and he was still in his lap. Renewing their bond had been good for them both. If they remained immobile just a while longer, both would have energy levels better than before. _"Soundwave will contact us soon."_

_ "Yes." _Megatron held Starscream in his arms, and the thought of Soundwave's contact seemed distant and ethereal. Whatever Soundwave's report would entail it would lead to an insubstantial future, one with more fighting. It was not something real that could be held in his hands. What was real was Starscream. Win or lose, Starscream was something he would always have.


End file.
